In Light of Faith

With less than one month to go before the opening of the synod on “Young people, faith and vocational discernment,” it is now clear that whatever was on the agenda has been rendered null and void in light of the global crisis in which the church is now enmeshed.

Mention use of digital media, and I’m sure you will find people on either side of the spectrum. Regardless of where you stand, I know one thing is certain — the power of digital networks cannot be underestimated in the lives of today’s young people.

Attending my first Mass at the age of 19 was a peculiar experience. The bells and smells were all new to me, as were the collective prayers. But most striking were two other facets of the Mass: the centrality of the sacraments and the reverence in which the Mass was celebrated.